Two-terminal components are known as state of the art. These optoelectronic components contain two contacts (terminals) with a p-n-semiconductor structure lying therebetween to produce a photo current upon light incidence. It is a drawback that the voltage must be switched so that a red-green-blue (RGB) signal can be enabled sequentially from a time point of view.
An nipin-layer structure with a photosensitive electrical component between two outer contacts and based upon amorphous silicon is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,047. A piiin structure has also been proposed as a photosensitive electrical component with two outer contacts on the basis of amorphous silicon.
In addition, three-terminal components are known as state of the art. A first proposal for constructing pin/TCO [transparent conductive oxide]/nipin structure as a three-terminal component has already been published in M. Topic, F. Smole, J. Furlan, W. Kusian, J. of Non-Cryst. Solids 198-299 (1996) 1180-1184. Here as well the drawback of sequential switching of the voltage applies.
Finally, so-called charge-coupled devices (CCD) are known in which, however, the drawback of the color Moiree-effect complicates the digital signal acquisition.
In the described structures for forming such two-terminal or three-terminal components, the absorber layer of the individual diodes can be adjusted as a function of the color separation anticipated.
The hitherto known vertically integrated color detectors are based upon the requirement that the voltage applied across the detector is altered to obtain the complete color information. For this purpose at least three and usually more switching voltages are required.